The SLO County Grand Jury Report investigated the administrative mismanagement of the district budget for the 2011-12 school year. The Grand Jury released its report on July 5. The PRPE interview committee will choose ten of these questions for you to answer during your interview.  PRPE will pose the same questions to each candidate. Feel free to ask for clarification on any of the questions.

1.   Why do you want to run for school board?

2.   Knowing that Dr. McNamara received a vote of no confidence in her previous district (Banning) and that PRPE recently surveyed its membership and  discovered that 88% of teachers had no confidence in Dr. McNamara and her current administration. What sort of importance should be given to this sentiment?

3.   Have you read the SLO County Grand Jury Report regarding the administrative mismanagement of our district? What is your opinion of the SLO County Grand Jury Report?

4.   Do you agree or disagree with the following statement. “The classroom teacher is the most important factor in a quality education for students and therefore those teachers and support staff working conditions and compensation are the most important component of any district’s budget.”  Yes or No? The state COLA Deficit faction now stands at 22.27%. Please prioritize how you would spend that money if and when it is returned to the district by the state?

5.   Would you support a parcel tax or a General Obligation Bond this year?

6.   PRPE currently has five outstanding grievances that are now at the final stage of binding arbitration. They are:

• 1.  Changes to the terms and conditions of the employment of special education and general education teachers related to the restructuring   of the special education program “mandated” by the Program Improvement advisor (Action Learning Systems). This is also a PERB case.
• 2.  Denial of Due Process and skipping of progressive discipline steps related to the definition of a “serious breach of professional conduct” and who decides what that is.
• 3.  Involuntary transfers of teachers based on administrative fiat.
• 4.  Release of student information to school board members.
• 5.  Changes to the evaluation process without negotiations.

Do you believe that the time and cost associated with any or all of these grievances could be avoided through negotiations? (For Incumbents: If you think negotiations could work for any of these grievances, then why did you deny all of them at Level 5?)

7.   What is your understanding of the Collective Bargaining Process.  What role should a Trustee have in the process?  What role do you see PRPE having in the process?

8.   What is your position regarding discipline/suspensions/expulsions in PRJUSD?

9.   How would propose the current rift between the district administration and PRJUSD employees?

10. Why should PRPE publicly endorse your candidacy?